Weekly Roundup Friday, March 02, 2018 The latest news from the State Capitol Budget Hearings Continue to Form Basis for Upcoming Negotiations

The second full week of budget hearings wrapped up on Thursday, with members of the House Appropriations Committee asking agency and department officials a variety of questions about executive functions, programs and efficiencies. These questions, along with submitted written testimony, will serve as the foundation for budget negotiations this spring.

Appearing this week were the departments of Environmental Protection, Agriculture, Corrections, General Services, Health, Drug and Alcohol Programs, and Military and Veterans Affairs, along with the Liquor Control Board and the Office of Attorney General.

On the agenda for the third and final week of budget hearings are full days for the

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Week of March 5, 2018 Department of General Services Budget Hearing

The PA Senate Appropriations Committee held a budget hearing with the PA Department of General Services (DGS), and as Chairman of the PA Senate State Government Committee, the committee that oversees DGS, I had the opportunity to ask Secretary Topper several questions.

The issue of school safety and security, especially the prevention and handling of active shooters and other emergency situations, was one of the discussion topics at a meeting of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee this week.

In Pennsylvania, schools are required to have an emergency plan, but that may or

Weekly Roundup Friday, March 02, 2018 The latest news from the State Capitol

Protecting the Public from Dangerous Sex Offenders

Legislation recently signed by the governor will strengthen existing laws to protect Pennsylvanians from dangerous sex offenders, namely those who are released back into the community without supervision to monitor their transition.

Act 10 of 2017, formally House Bill 631, will require the court to impose a mandatory three-year probation period consecutive to any term of total confinement for a person convicted of a Tier III sex offense under Pennsylvania’s Adam Walsh Act, commonly known as Megan’s Law.

Under existing law, the court has the flexibility to order supervision by the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, or county probation.

Legislative Update Friday, March 02, 2018 The latest news from the State Capitol Sign Up to Continue Receiving My Weekly Email Updates

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Inspector General response to Lt. Gov. Stack investigation raises more questions than answers

HARRISBURG – At a Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearing with the Office of Inspector General (OIG) on Tuesday afternoon, Senator Scott Wagner (R-York) questioned Inspector General Bruce Beemer about the costs and reasons to hide a report the OIG compiled at the request of Governor Tom Wolf on Lieutenant Governor Stack’s abuse of staff.

Wagner specifically asked General Beemer about why the report on the lieutenant governor was not made public. Beemer deferred to Governor Wolf.

When discussing costs, General Beemer highlighted that the investigation was conducted by six to 10 investigators